Clinical Features and Vaccination Effects among Children with Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 in Taiwan.

Background: Post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) affects patients after recovering from acute coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study investigates the impact of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination on PASC symptoms in children in Taiwan during the Omicron pandemic.

Methods: We enrolled children under 18 years with PASC symptoms persisting for more than 4 weeks.

Effect of pre-hospitalization use of oral antiviral agents on reducing critical illness and mortality for patients with COVID-19 pneumonia.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of administering nirmatrelvir/ritonavir and molnupiravir before hospitalisation on subsequent critical illness among patients with COVID-19 pneumonia.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients with COVID-19 pneumonia who required hospitalisation between 1 January 1 2022 and 31 August 2022. The primary outcomes were the development of critical illness, including intensive care unit admission, use of mechanical ventilation, or mortality.

Effect of Chinese Herbal Medicine Therapy on Risks of Overall, Diabetes-Related, and Cardiovascular Diseases-Related Mortalities in Taiwanese Patients With Hereditary Hemolytic Anemias.

Hereditary Hemolytic Anemias (HHAs) are a rare but heterogeneous group of erythrocytic diseases, characterized by intrinsic cellular defects due to inherited genetic mutations. We investigated the efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) in reducing the overall, diabetes-related, and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs)-related mortalities among patients with HHAs using a nationwide population database. In total, we identified 33,278 patients with HHAs and included 9,222 non-CHM and 9,222 CHM matched pairs after matching.

Recommendations and guidelines for the treatment of infections due to multidrug resistant organisms.

Antimicrobial drug resistance is one of the major threats to global health. It has made common infections increasingly difficult or impossible to treat, and leads to higher medical costs, prolonged hospital stays and increased mortality. Infection rates due to multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) are increasing globally.

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) osteomyelitis among children: Experience in a single tertiary center in central Taiwan.

Background: The insidious nature of BCG-osteomyelitis makes it challenging for clinicians to detect it early on.

Methods: This 12-year retrospective analysis was conducted at a single tertiary hospital in central Taiwan. Electronic medical records of pediatric patients treated for BCG-osteomyelitis were reviewed.

Chinese Herbal Medicine Therapy Reduces the Risks of Overall and Anemia-Related Mortalities in Patients With Aplastic Anemia: A Nationwide Retrospective Study in Taiwan.

Aplastic Anemia (AA) is a rare but fatal hematologic disease that may occur at any age and especially higher in Asia. We investigated whether Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) is beneficial to AA patients as a complementary therapy using a nationwide population-based database in Taiwan between 2000-2016. Patient survival was estimated by Kaplan‒Meier survival analyses and Cox proportional-hazard model.

Association between vesicoureteral reflux, urinary tract infection and antibiotics exposure in infancy and risk of childhood asthma.

Background: The use of antibiotics for treating infection in childhood and their association with increased risk of asthma remain controversial. Infants diagnosed with vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) belong to a unique population who are administered antibiotics for a long time and are susceptible to recurrent UTI. It is interesting to study the risk of asthma in these infants with or without VUR.

Clinical characteristics and prediction analysis of pediatric urinary tract infections caused by gram-positive bacteria.

Gram-positive (GP) pathogens are less accounted for in pediatric urinary tract infection (UTI), and their clinical impact is underrecognized. This study aimed to identify predictors of GP uropathogens in pediatric UTI. In this 14-year retrospective cohort of pediatric patients with UTI, we classified first-time UTIs cases into those caused by GP or Gram-negative (GN) bacteria.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of culture-negative versus culture-positive osteomyelitis in children treated at a tertiary hospital in central Taiwan.

Background: The causative pathogen of pediatric osteomyelitis is often unidentified despite culturing attempts. This study evaluated and compared the clinical characteristics, therapeutic approach, and outcomes of osteomyelitis caused by unknown pathogens and identified microorganisms.

Method: This 17-year retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary hospital in central Taiwan.

Recommendations and guidelines for the treatment of Clostridioides difficile infection in Taiwan.

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is a major enteric disease associated with antibiotic use and a leading cause of hospital-acquired infections worldwide. This is the first guideline for treatment of CDI in Taiwan, aiming to optimize medical care for patients with CDI. The target audience of this document includes all healthcare personnel who are involved in the medical care of patients with CDI.

Initial radiographic tracheal ratio in predicting clinical outcomes in croup in children.

Croup is the leading infectious disease resulting in pediatric upper airway obstruction. Our purpose is to analyze diverse features of neck radiographs could be seen as an objective tool to predict outcomes in patients with croup. One hundred and ninety-two patients were prospectively recruited in pediatric emergency department with diagnosis of croup.

Association between urine pH and common uropathogens in children with urinary tract infections.

Background/purpose: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common pediatric infections. Our objective in this study is to investigate the association between urine pH and uropathogens in pediatric patients.

Methods: The source population comprised 26 066 paired urinalysis (UA) and urine culture (UC) samples obtained from pediatric patients.

Increased risk of herpes zoster in children with cancer: A nationwide population-based cohort study.

Herpes zoster is rare in healthy children, but immunocompromised persons have an increased risk of herpes zoster and severe diseases. Considering the very limited information on herpes zoster in children with cancer, we performed a nationwide population-based cohort study to estimate the incidence of herpes zoster in children with cancer and to explore the association between the 2 diseases.Data were obtained from the National Health Research Institutes Database in Taiwan.

Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infection among neonates in a neonatal intensive care unit at a medical center in central Taiwan.

Background: Few studies have focused on multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MDRAB) infection in neonates. The aim of this study was to investigate risk factors for mortality in neonates with MDRAB infection.

Methods: This retrospective case-series study was conducted at the Children's Hospital of China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.

Nosocomial neonatal legionellosis associated with water in infant formula, Taiwan.

We report 2 cases of neonatal Legionella infection associated with aspiration of contaminated water used in hospitals to make infant formula. The molecular profiles of Legionella strains isolated from samples from the infants and from water dispensers were indistinguishable. Our report highlights the need to consider nosocomial legionellosis among neonates who have respiratory symptoms.

Immunogenicity and safety of a trivalent inactivated 2010-2011 influenza vaccine in Taiwan infants aged 6-12 months.

This prospective study aimed to investigate the immune responses and safety of an influenza vaccine in vaccine-naïve infants aged 6-12 months, and was conducted from November 2010 to May 2011. Fifty-nine infants aged 6-12 months received two doses of trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine 4 weeks apart. Hemagglutination inhibition titers were measured 4 weeks after the two doses of study vaccine.

Pyogenic liver abscess among children in a medical center in Central Taiwan.

Background: Pediatric pyogenic liver abscess is uncommon. This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics, radiologic features, pathogens, duration of hospitalization, and management of pediatric pyogenic liver abscess.

Methods: Pediatric patients with pyogenic liver abscess admitted to the China Medical University Hospital from 1995 to 2011 were reviewed.

Evaluation and selection of regeneration of waste lubricating oil technology.

Lubricant is one of the important resources that cannot be disposed of randomly due to the presence of pollutants. In response to economic efficiency and environmental protection, there is a growing trend of regeneration and reuse of waste lubricant. However, the technologies shall be compared to provide a useful reference for the use of waste lubricant.

Environmental performance evaluation and strategy management using balanced scorecard.

Recently, environmental protection and regulations such as WEEE, ELV, and RoHS are rapidly emerging as an important issue for business to consider. The trend of swinging from end-of-pipe control to product design, green innovation, and even the establishment of image or brand has affected corporations in almost every corner in the world, and enlarged to the all modern global production network. Corporations must take proactive environmental strategies to response the challenges.